188 THE POTATO BLIGHT. 



are far superior to all the rest. They are no fathers of ten in 

 family, nor of twenty, nor of twenty times twenty, but (mar- 

 vel of multiplication !) each of these sires can boast of being 

 the actual parent of ten generations, all, save the last, made 

 up of daughters ! You who doubt whether this is true, or 

 may desire to know how it has been proved, we refer to the 

 scientific pages of Bonnet, Trembley, Kichardson, Rennie, 



and a host of other unimpeachable authorities. 



****** 



We have to subjoin an important, if authentic, addendum 

 to the history of Aphis life. 



From observations made in the summer of 1846, it was 

 concluded by Mr. Alfred Smee, that the originating cause of 

 the potato-blight was the "preternatural abundance of the 

 Aphis vastator.'' By this Insect is occasioned (says he) the 

 first injury to the vegetables it attacks, and "it is thus the 

 cause of the disease from which the subsequent changes take 

 place. The Vastator attacks many plants and kills whatever 

 it attacks. It destroys the potato, spinach, turnip, carrot, 

 beet-root, clover, and it will even live upon wheat." 



To causes merely atmospheric, such as absence of summer 

 sunshine and the prevalence of rain, have been likewise ascribed 

 (by most competent authorities)* the potato murrain. It has 

 also been assigned to the presence of Fungi (in the tubers) ;f 



* Professor Lindley, Dr. Playfair, &c. 

 t By the Eev. M. J. Berkeley. 



